Electrolytic system for the protection of condensers



July 28, 1931. 'AJKIRKALDY 1,316,487

' ELECTROLYTIC SYSTEM FOR THE PROTECTION OF CONDENSERS Filed May 3. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'IIIIIIII. 'IIIIIIIII ATTORNEY y 23, 1931- I l A. KIRKALDY 1,816,487

ELECTROLYTIC SYSTEM FOR THE PROTECTION OF CONDENSERS Filed May 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @s //////A///////////// /A/////A//.

ATTORNEY Patented July 28,1931

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE ALEXANDER KIBKALDY, or Yonxrown rrnrenrs, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB. TO ELECTRQ ANTI-CORROSION conrom'rron, or 1am YORK, N. Y., A conronnrron on NEW YORK Application filed may 3, 1930. Serial No. 449,392.

This invention relates to electrolytic systems for the protection of condensers against corrosion and my improvements are particularly directed to a novel form of grid,

5 adapted to be mounted in the water boxes, for supporting the anodes andfor enclosing the lead wires which convey current to said anodes.

It is one of the purposes of my invention to construct the grid of metallic tubes, to

I becathodicf-and at the same time to provide hollow containing means for the insulated lead wires, whereby they may be shielded from the attacks of moisture.

Also my invention comprises the provision of unions for connecting adjacent tubes which unitedly constitute the grid, and

which enable connective relation to be estab lished between the lead wires and the anode carrying, current conveying members of the system. Other features and advantages of my invention will hereinafter appear:

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a condenser whos'e headers are equipped with my improved tubular grid.

Fig. 2 is a "partial horizontal section thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing an electrode, with its current conveyor and anode, the insulated lead wire, and enclosing tubes therefor.

Fi 4 is a section on the line H of Fig.

' Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the lower left side of Fig. 1, at the penetration j of the partition 3 and a lower tube portion inter box.

The inlet is indicated at 1, the outlet at 2, and the usual partition, indicated at 3, separates the set of inflow tubes 4 from the set of return flow tubes 5.

In each of the headers or water boxes are placed grids composed of metallic tubes 6, of suitable lengths these tubes being connected together by hollow unions 7, where-' by insulated current conveying wires, placed within said tubes and unions, are completely encased and shielded from contact with water in the headers.

Also the grid is adapted to be secured to the condenser shell, and supported thereby within the water box. Thus, tubes 6a are shown as extended through the condenser wall, at its top, and held in place by nuts 6b, 60, screwed upon said tubes, respectively at opposite sides ofthe shell.

The outwardly projecting portions of tlbes 6a are encased in insulation material The current conveying wires, 8, which are provided with insulation 9, and which receive electrical current from a suitable external source, (not shown) enter the tubular id at the tubes 6a, and are continued there- Irom to the anodes 10, as will be hereinafter described, the current flowing from said anodes to the condenser shell and the connected grid, all of these metallic surfaces becoming cathodic, and the electrical circuit being closed as through a negative lead 11 extending from the condenser shell.

The anodes 10 are each shown as removably carried by a current conveying rod 12, here shown in the form of a bolt havin a threaded end'12a to engage the anode, an a head 12?) that extends into a union 7.

The unions ,7 have four-way" openings whereby with opposed openings, they are enabled to serve as couplings for the opposed ends of tubes 6, and with other, opposed openings, whose axis intersects the axis of the first named openings to respec- I0 tively receive the head of the current conveying rod and provide either reception means for a screw plug or receive another tube 6.

The couplings illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4:, and the elements associated therewith, are typical of grid junctions comprised in my improved system.

Thus, in Fig. 3 the coupling 7 has the vertically opposed, threaded openings 13, into which are screwed the opposed ends of tubes 6, these tubes forming a part of the grid and containing the insulated, current conveying wire 8. Now referring to the other pair of opposed,threaded openings, 1 1-, 14a in the coupling, it will be noted that opening 14: engages a threaded metallic sleeve 15, whosebore is of two different diameters. The bolt or current conveying rod 12, which extends through sleeve 15 for a portion of its length, is surrounded at that portion by an insulating sleeve 16 that has a recess 16a to receive the bolt head 12a, the wall of said insulating sleeve 16' having different thicknesses in its length, complementary to the different diameters or sleeve 15, so that the sleeves 15, 16 may intertit and thereby become interlocked. An extension 8a of the current conveying wire 8 connects with the bolt head 12a, as by a screw 8?), and thereby supplies current to the anode.

An outer insulating sleeve 17 forming a distance member surrounds the current conveying rod 12 and the sleeves 15, 16, and extends between the union 7 and the anode, rubber gaskets 18 being interposed, respectively, between one end 0t sleeve 17 and union 7', and between the other end of sleeve 17 and the anode.

The end of sleeve 17 adjacent the anode is recessed to receive a nut 19 that is screwed upon bolt 12, a metallic washer 20 providing a seat'for said nut, and a cup-like housing 21 of insulating material fits over the nut to fill the remaining recessed space.

From the foregoing description it will I be apparent that the bolt 12 and its associated insulating sleeves are firmly secured to the sleeve 15, and thus to the union 7, by means of the nut 19, leaving the anode free to be removed, for replacement.

The opening 14a in the union 7 of Fig. 3 is fitted with a screw closure plug 22.

In Fig. 4 an identical union 7 appears, also a vertical tube 6 and the insulated lead wire 8, whi'ch communicates current in the same way. to'an anode carrying bolt 12.

But in this instance the lead wire, which ex tends through the upper tube 6, does not follow through the lower tube 66, but instead is given a bend, as at 80, within the union,

, and is thence extended through short, angularly related tubes 6;, which are'connected by an elbow 23, ,one of said short tubes 6; belng screwed into the union opening 14a.

It is by means of the tubes 6, 6a and 6f, the unions 7 and the elbows 23, that the ,tubulargrid is constituted, and enabled to enclose the insulated Wire which communicates electrical current to bolts 12 and the anodes carried thereby.

The respective tubes 66 that depend from certain of the unions and extend through the lower portion of the condenser shell, are

tube 6g that extends through partition 3,'

whereby the enclosed, insulated wire 8 may be carried through said partition, by which means the same tubular grid and the current conveying wire enclosed thereby are enabled to supply current to the anodes in botlrthe inflow and outflow portions of the water box.

The tubes 69 are surrounded by a metallic sleeve 26, and nuts 27, respectively at opposite sides of the partition, upon the tubes 6g, serve to confine said sleeve. placed at opposite sides of the partition, form seats for sleeve 26.

some instances, the grid is braced by elements which are not intended to contain the current conveying wire, nor are to be used as drains, so that in these instances brace rods may be employed. Examples 0t these brace rods, which thus take the place of tubular elements are shown at 29 where said brace rods are used to connect separate unions 7 Also at 30, there are shown brace rods which connect unions 7' respectively with vertical walls of the condenser.

It will be noted,that the entire grid is cathodic, to thus be subjected to the influence of the electrical current in the same manner as the' condenser shell.

Variations within the spirit and scope of my invention are equally comprehended by the foregoing disclosure.

I claim:

1. The combination with a condenser. having a water box, of a tubular cathodic grid mounted in said water box, an insulated electrical current conveying wire extended into and enclosed by said .tubular grid, anodes extended and insulated from said grid, and means for communicating current from said wire to said anodes.

-2. The combination with a condenser having a water box, of a tubular cathodic Washers 28,

sulated from said unions, and means for communicating current from said wire to said elements.

3. The combination with a condenser having a Water box, a cathodic grid composed of tubes and unions which connect adjasent ends of said tubes, an insulated, electrical current conveying wire extended into and enclosed by said grid, electrodes engag ing said unions, anode rods extending through said electrodes and engaging said current conveying wire, said rods carrying anodes, and insulating material surrounding said electrodes.

New York, N. Y., May 2, 1930.

ALEXANDER KIRKALDY. 

